Kids Love Nature Kindergarten at Avon Heath

Children's Nature Nursery @ Avon Heath Avon Heath Country Park, Brocks Pine, St Ives, RINGWOOD, Hampshire, BH24 2DH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/01/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children thrive in the welcoming and nurturing environment. They are curious and motivated to learn showing a strong sense of independence and exploration through their play.  Excellent use is made of the outdoor learning environment. Children have fun as they learn about nature and take part in the daily 'explorer sessions' around the country park, enriching their learning experiences.  Children's safety is given high priority. Staff have thorough risk assessments in place and are vigilant in maintaining safety while providing support for children to take risks and explore.  Staff successfully assess, monitor and plan for children's learning. Flexible planning linked to children's interests provides an excellent balance of both adult-led and child- initiated play and learning.  Parents are actively encouraged to get involved in their children's learning. Information sheets and 'Home Learning packs' on topics, such as investigating mini beasts, are

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This provision is outstanding

provided by the nursery to encourage parents to support children's learning at home.  Successful systems are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the provision. The management's drive and ambition to secure improvement is highly effective. All staff get involved in continuing to review their practice, benefiting the children.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play and staff interaction, indoors and outside.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with some staff and parents and held discussions with the manager and owners of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation including a sample of children's records, planning and staff suitability records.  The inspector looked at the systems used to review and evaluate the nursery.

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Information about the setting

Children's Nature Nursery at Avon Heath is privately owned and registered in 2012. It operates from two rooms within the visitors centre at Avon Heath Country Park, near St Ives, in Dorset. The nursery follows the Kids Love Nature approach. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play space, which is used as an outdoor learning environment. The nursery works alongside the countryside rangers to take children on explorer sessions in the surrounding heath areas. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register and accepts children aged two to eight years. There are currently 33 children on roll all of whom are in the early age group. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four. The nursery is open weekdays from 8am to 5.30pm throughout the year, with the exception of bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of

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Information about the setting

sessions, including part time. A total of four staff work with the children, three of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. The other staff member is currently attending early years training. The manager is a qualified teacher with Early Years Professional Status.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 review the organisation of books to create a more attractive area so children can make greater use of books.

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who attend

Children flourish in the rich and challenging learning environment. Staff have an excellent understanding of how children learn and place a strong emphasis on children learning through first hand experiences in the outdoor environment. Educational programmes are organised effectively through flexible planning, which is adapted to respond to children's interests. Activities provide varied and stimulating learning experiences that meet the needs of children exceptionally well. The staff's enthusiasm and inspiring teaching methods have a positive impact on children's learning. As a result, children thrive and make first-rate progress in their learning and development, taking into account their starting points and capabilities. Staff have implemented systems to help them monitor and assess children's achievements through use of 'child profile' records. They make effective use of documents, such as 'Development Matters' guidance to help them identify children's

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who attend

next steps in their learning. This means that children are ready for the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

Children are learning very good skills for the future. They are curious, motivated to learn and show high levels of independence as they make choices about whether to play inside or outdoors. The outdoor play environment provides children with fun and stimulating learning experiences, successfully involving children in active learning. The daily 'explorer sessions' are organised jointly with the rangers from the country park, where children learn about the natural environment and how to handle risk. Children are fascinated to discover an insect under the log and proudly show others. They feel the ice and learn how ice is made, then observe how adding water makes it melt. Children show a sense of adventure as they look for footprints in the mud. They compare the prints they find to ones on the identification cards to help them identify if it belongs to a fox or a dog. Staff talk about the long and thin print of the fox and short and fat print of the dog, successfully

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who attend

introducing children to shape, size and patterns. Further activities to reinforce children's learning are organised on return to the classroom. For example, children look and feel the various footprints in the plaster, then match them to the corresponding animals. This generates lots of discussion. Staff skilfully ask open-ended questions to develop children's thinking skills and extend their learning. Children are able to access a selection of books. They handle books well, and pretend to 'read' stories to others, starting at the beginning and discussing the pictures with others. However, staff do not organise the books in the best way to create an attractive area and encourage all children to use it well.

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who attend

Children's mathematical development is fostered excellently through both planned and spontaneous learning. Children regularly count in their play, such as the number of steps to the tree and how many wooden logs there are. Staff ask children to work out if there are enough logs for everyone to have a seat, introducing some simple calculation to extend children's learning. Children have superb opportunities to use a wide range of mark making tools to help develop their early writing skills. Children practice good hand and finger control through the various resources and activities. They show care as they use tools such as scissors and glue sticks, carefully selecting materials to make their own collages. A professional artist visits the nursery on a weekly basis to nurture children's imaginations and creativity through specific art activities. Children use their senses through a wide range of materials and mediums, such as sand, paint, clay and regular

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who attend

Highly effective strategies engage parents in their children's learning. On entry, staff link closely with parents to establish what children can do. This information is used effectively to help settle children and plan for their future learning. Staff encourage daily informal chats at handover times so parents are kept well informed about their children's care, learning and development. Parents are also invited to attend parent's evenings to discuss children's progress and achievements on a more formal basis. The successful use of the nursery website and secure social networking resources, enables parents to view photographs and videos of their children involved in activities. Staff are proactive in encouraging parents to get involved in their children's learning at home. They provide 'Home Learning Packs' that suggest ways parents can support children's learning at home, for example, making a bird feeder. Parents speak positively about the nursery. They

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who attend

comment how children are learning so much about nature and how they feel reassured knowing that children 'are in really good hands'.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children thrive in the caring and nurturing environment. The skilled staff team know children well and establish strong emotional attachments with their key children for whom they have special responsibility. They are extremely attentive to children's individual needs For example, they are aware when newer or less confident children need to have their special 'comfort toy' close-by for reassurance. This means children feel very settled and secure. Staff actively promote children's independence encouraging them to learn to do things for themselves. For example, children show developing confidence in putting on their coats and wellington boots when going outside, and they self-select their play activities from the low shelves. Children become fully engrossed in the play experiences and behave extremely well. They share, take turns, and cooperate extremely well with others, such as helping each other to sweep up the floor at the end of an activity.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children's safety is given high priority. Staff follow comprehensive risk assessment procedures, including rigorous daily checks of the outdoor play areas to minimise any hazards to children. This helps them identify and address any risks that may have developed since the previous check, such as removing fungi that has grown over night. Rangers carry out a pre-visit around the forest environment before 'explorer sessions' to plan the route, identify areas of interests, and make sure the routes are clear and safe. Staff are alert to the possible dangers when outdoors, while recognising the importance of encouraging young children's sense of exploration and risk-taking. Children know the boundaries and safety rules when participating in activities away from the nursery premises, such as holding hands, staying close-by and not going near the cars. They listen carefully to the staff's instructions, which helps children to keep themselves safe in their

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are developing a very good understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. They benefit enormously from access to lots of fresh air and exercise, which adds to their enjoyment and overall development. Staff provide excellent opportunities for children to move freely between the indoor and outside environments. This provides children with the freedom to follow their interests and explore things on a larger scale. Staff talk with children about exercise and the effect on their bodies. Children are fascinated as they can see their breath. Staff explain the reason for this is because it is cold outside but their bodies are warm inside. This encourages children to be interested in how their bodies work. Children take part in growing and planting activities, and then taste the homegrown vegetables for their snack. This introduces them to new tastes and helps children learn where food comes from. A hot cooked meal is made on the premises, and children take

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

turns to help prepare the food and set the table. They enjoy a sociable lunchtime. Staff sit and chat with children about what they have done during the morning whilst teaching children good manners. Information about specific dietary needs is obtained from parents so staff can make sure that children's needs are met.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children's well-being are excellent. The nursery staff have a very good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Effective recruitment and vetting procedures are followed to check the suitability of staff to work with children. Clear induction procedures, alongside a comprehensive staff handbook help to ensure that all staff are clear of their roles and responsibilities. A clear safeguarding policy is in place, and all staff cover safeguarding as part of their induction. The manager and deputy have attended specific safeguarding training. This has been cascaded to all staff members so they are clear of their role in safeguarding children. All staff hold a first aid qualification. They have a good understanding of their responsibilities and the need to provide safe play environments for children.

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provision

Leadership and management are excellent. The skilled staff team work exceptionally well together to support children's individual needs. The manager supports staff in their continuing professional development and inspires them to gain additional qualifications. Staff appraisals help to monitor staff practice and in-house training events are organised to support staff training needs. The management and staff have a clear drive to secure improvement for children. There are extremely effective systems in place to successfully review and monitor the provision, with all staff taking an active role. This enables the whole staff team to focus on what is working well and what is not working quite as well, helping them to collate specific action plans for future development. The manager links closely with the local authority for advice and guidance, welcoming feedback on ways they can enhance the nursery provision. Parents are actively encouraged to share their views,

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provision

both informally and through completing a questionnaire. All comments and suggestions are taken on-board by the management to help improve outcomes for children, such as adding snacks that are more substantial in the afternoon session.

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provision

Staff have established very strong partnerships with parents to provide a consistent approach in children's care, learning and development. The clear focus on developing children's growing independence means children are well prepared as they move onto the next stage in their learning. Parents receive comprehensive information about the nursery provision through the nursery prospectus, regular newsletters and access to the nursery website. The nursery works with another early years setting, based on a Children's Centre site, to offer a specific group of children opportunities to use their outdoor play and learning environment. Many children attend other early years settings and parents share information about children's learning between the settings. The manager has emailed all the other early years settings children attend to establish links, aware that this contributes towards continuity for children's learning and development.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY449312 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 809032 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 33 Name of provider Kids Love Nature Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01425206444

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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